Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Bennett is an angel, says Chamisa

Bennett is an angel, says Chamisa
By: Nancy Pasipanodya
Posted: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 5:47 am

A STATEMENT made by the MDC-T spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, in relation to former white farmer and treasurer general of that party has riled members of that party who are aligned to secretary general, Tendai Biti and has been called blasphemous by political commentators in the country.

Chamisa described party financier, Roy Bennett, as "an angel", much to the chagrin of party members. Chamisa made the statement in an interview with ZBC at the High Court after Bennett's acquittal on terrorism charges.

Political commentators last night blasted Chamisa for his "blasphemous" statements saying the MDC-T’s stance showed that they would do anything to please their white masters.

In interview yesterday, political analyst Professor Jonathan Moyo called Chamisa’s statement "absurd".

"You can’t have a more blasphemous statement. Like everybody knows, we had a judgment from the courts of law not from God in Heaven.

"Everyone knows an appealable judgment from a court of law not a judgment from God in Heaven.

"It is absurd and reprehensible to the extreme and this is provocative for the MDC-T to call Bennett an ‘angel’ when it is common cause that he was an active member of the murderous Rhodesian infantry during the liberation struggle.

"Just like former Nazis in Israel are not angels, former members of the murderous Rhodesian army are not angels but devils with no place in any Government in a free Zimbabwe."

Moyo added: "The MDC-T can have Bennett but we do not want him and will oppose him everywhere.

"It has nothing to do with the case but everything to do with his unacceptable Rhodesian past."

Another analyst, Gabriel Chaibva, said Chamisa’s statements were coming from a party celebrating their white master’s acquittal.

"There is no doubt in my mind that those in the MDC-T are directly controlled by whites that they cannot distinguish between what is devilish and angelic.

"There is nothing unusual about Bennett’s acquittal. There are so many people who have been acquitted but are they angels?

"It is shocking that people like Chamisa can stoop so low in their bootlicking that they speak so blasphemously in their hero-worshiping," he said.

Meanwhile, on Friday, MDC-T’s standing committee met at the party’s Harvest House headquarters and a faction made it clear it did not want Bennett in Government.

A senior party official said: "At Friday’s meeting some individuals made it clear that the Bennett issue should not continue holding the country at ransom.

"They also pointed out Bennett’s past made it difficult to shake off the perception that we are controlled by Rhodies and white farmers who have interests different from ours."

Other sources said Tsvangirai would likely push for Bennett’s acceptance but this would be a hard sell to some members of his leadership, let alone the Zanu-PF component of the inclusive Government.

Chamisa yesterday refused to confirm Friday’s meeting or if the Bennett issue had been discussed.

Observers said the twin opposition of Zanu-PF and MDC-T factionalism could leave Bennett in the political wilderness.

Professor Moyo said: "The quandary has never been a legal one but rather a political one.

"The courts don’t have to tell us that Bennett is a Rhodie with unsavoury links to military machinery that brutalised thousands of our people.

"Thirty years after independence, we have forgiven but we will never forget.

"Politically he is who he is and no one can change that. He emerges from the trial a free person but things have moved on while he’s been preoccupied with his legal battles.

"There are now other people who hold purse strings apart from himself and these people have set up their own structures to push their agenda.

"Now he faces the real music and that is MDC-T’s problem because the people do not want a Rhodie ex-military type running their country."

Prof Moyo also said the judgment should quash claims of a biased judiciary.

"The next time if an MDC-T person is convicted there should be no claims of lack of rule of law because the judiciary has demonstrated that there is rule of law," he said.

Labels: NELSON CHAMISA, ROY BENNETT, TREASON

posted by MrK @ 5:21 PM